The present invention involves novel imidazoles which have cardioselective .beta.-adrenergic blocking activity and which are useful as antihypertensive agents, cardioprotective agents, antiarrythmic agents, antianginal agents with reduced side effects; e.g., they are devoid of intrinsic sympathomimetic activity (IsA).
A class of pharmaceutical agents, known as .beta.-adrenergic blocking agents, are available and are known to affect cardiac, vascular and pulmonary functions and are mild antihypertensives. Specifically, these agents have the capability of reducing heart rate, without counteracting vasodepression or suppressing bronchodilation. .beta.-adrenergic blocking agents, their chemical structure and activity, are generally disclosed in "Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics" 10, 292-306 (1969). Various .beta.-adrenergic blocking agents are also described in such patents as, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,048,387; 3,337,628; 3,655,663; 3,794,650; 3,832,470; 3,836,666; 3,850,945; 3,850,946; 3,850,947; 3,852,291 and British Pat. No. 1,194,548.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,134,983 and 4,199,580 disclose a class of substituted imidazoles which have .beta.-adrenergic blocking activity. While such compounds are effective, their use results in undesirable side affects such as bronchial constriction, muscular fatigue and cold extremities.